With crop damage caused by wild boars emerging as a major concern for farmers in Tamil Nadu, Agriculture Minister R. Vinoth has announced a special ₹7.35-crore package in the Agriculture Budget 2026-27 to reduce economic losses and protect farmlands.
Presenting the Agriculture Budget in the Assembly on Thursday (August 6, 2026), the Minister said the environment-friendly liquid wild boar repellent developed by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) would be supplied to farmers at subsidised rates. The scheme will cover 14,000 acres at a cost of ₹1.35 crore, funded by the State government.
Drawing from Tamil Nadu’s rich literary heritage, the Minister quoted verses from the Sangam classic Malaipadukadam to illustrate how ancient communities protected their crops. He said people once guarded narrow paths used by wild boars by installing adar — rare stone traps made of large slabs that were designed to ensnare the animals.
To further reduce crop losses caused not only by wild boars but also by elephants, gaurs, and deer, the government will install solar-powered electric fencing systems at subsidised rates for 134 farmers during the current year, with an allocation of ₹2 crore.
The Minister also noted that dense growth of Prosopis juliflora (Seemai Karuvelam) in several districts had become a preferred habitat for wild boars. To address this, the government will undertake the removal of the invasive species from both government and private lands through District Collectors, with ₹4 crore earmarked from the State fund for the initiative.
Published - August 06, 2026 12:19 pm IST
Tamil Nadu / state politics / Agriculture / agriculture / environmental politics / state budget and tax
Source: The Hindu - India News
